RATIONALE: Antiviral drugs such as zidovudine and ganciclovir act against viruses and may be an effective treatment for HIV. Interleukin-2 may stimulate a person's white blood cells to kill lymphoma cells. Combining these treatments may be effective in treating AIDS-related primary central nervous system lymphoma.

PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining zidovudine, ganciclovir, and interleukin-2 in treating patients who have AIDS-related primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Determine the safety and toxicity of zidovudine, interleukin-2, and ganciclovir in patients with AIDS related primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Determine the response rate and overall survival of these patients treated with this regimen.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.

Induction therapy: Patients receive zidovudine (AZT) IV and ganciclovir IV over 1 hour every 12 hours on days 1-14. Patients also receive interleukin-2 (IL-2) IV every 12 hours on days 1-14 and a combination antiretroviral therapy consisting of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (one of which must be AZT), nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and protease inhibitors. AZT and ganciclovir treatment continues for an additional 7 days if partial response is achieved.

Maintenance therapy: Patients receive IL-2 subcutaneously 3 times a week for 6 months. Patients also receive oral ganciclovir 3 times a day and combination antiretroviral therapy (AZT allowed, but not required). Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Patients are followed monthly for 1 year, every 3 months for 2 years, and then every 6 months thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 10-30 patients will be accrued for this study.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

HIV positive

Diagnosis of central nervous system lymphoma by one of the following means:

Brain biopsy

Thallium spectroscopy scan in conjunction with CT scan or MRI after failing to improve with at least 2 weeks of antitoxoplasmosis therapy

No major hepatic dysfunction as evidenced by encephalopathy, ascites, or varices

Renal:

Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Other:

No prior other malignancy within the past 5 years except carcinoma in situ of the cervix, basal cell carcinoma of the skin, or Kaposi's sarcoma not requiring systemic therapy

No active uncontrolled infection except HIV or Epstein Barr virus

No known allergy to E. coli derived products

Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

Not specified

Chemotherapy:

Not specified

Endocrine therapy:

Concurrent corticosteroids allowed

Radiotherapy:

Not specified

Surgery:

Not specified

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00006264